miller



(No Model.)

J. 0, MILLER. CLUTCH.

No. 449,378; Patented Mar 31, 1891 WITNESSES: I INVENTOR WWW WM N.) Y U'ATTORNEY.

FFICEQ UwrTnn STATES ATENT JOHN O. MILLER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMAS MANO- FAOTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,378, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed December 15, 1890. Serial No. 374,748. (No model.)

To all whom it WHY/Z] concern; and the sleeve 1) transmit the said rotation Be it known that I, JOHN G. MILLER, a citito a driven member. It will be seen thateach zen of the United States, residing at Springroller has a slight movement sufficient to field,in the countyof Clark and State of Ohio, cause the said binding action between the 55 have invented certain new and useful Imshaft and sleeve, and yet is held in the deprovements in Clutches, of which the followsired position by the said ring H, whereby it ing is a specification, reference being had may be readily inserted within the clutch in therein to the accompanying drawings. setting up the same. Ileretofore consider- My invention relates to certain new and able trouble has been experienced in setting 60 IO useful improvements in clutches, and has up the machine on account of the difficulty reference to improvements upon gripping in causing a plurality of rollers or grippingpieces or rolls shown in the application of pieces to retain their adj usted positions with- Daniel 1- lIiser, Serial No. 374,716, filed Dein the clutch until all have been inserted in cember 15, 1890, whereby they are convenplace. By my device each roller orgripping- 05 iently supported in their operative position piece is correctly located with respect to the within a clutch of the kind described and others and to the operating-surface E, with are readilyinsertible within the same for which it engages, whereby all the rollers or convenience in setting up the clutch. gripping-pieces maybe at once inserted with- In the accompanying drawings, forming a in the clutch without the difficulty hereto- 7o part of this specification, and on which like fore experienced. The ring H is retained in reference-lettersindicatecorrespondingparts, said clutch by the end plate J of the lawn- Figure 1 represents an end view of a clutch mower or otherwise, and is free to rotate with with my improvements applied thereto, the its rollers or gripping-pieces about the shaft shaft being in section and portions being A until the binding action of the sleeve B 7 2'; broken away to show the construction; Fig. upon the said rollers and shaft causes the 2, a longitudinal sectional view of the same sleeve, the shaft, and the binding mechanand a portion of the surrounding mechanism ism to revolve together in one piece when of a'lawn-mower, and Fi 3 a detached perrotation is given to the pinion in one direcspective view of the rollers and ring. tion and to break the said engagement 011 a 0 The letter A designates the reel-shaft, for reverse movement of the same. Another adinstance, of a lawn-mower, on which is loosely vantage of the ring is that it secures approximounted a sleeve 13, having apinionCformed mately simultaneous action of the said gripthereon and recessed openings D, the outer ping-pieces upon the shaft, thereby preventwalls E of which converge toward the center ing undue strain upon some of the gripping- 5 and are adapted to force inward the grippieces, while others are more or less out of ping pieces or rollers F, each mounted in one action. of said recesses and retained in the desired Having thus fully described my invention, position relative to the others by a pin G, what I claim as'new, and desire to secure by which serves as a supporting-arbor and is Letters Patent, is riveted or otherwise secured in a ring [-I or 1. In aclutch, the combination,with ashaft other member of the clutch loosely fitted and a sleeve loosely mounted thereon and around the said shaft. The arbors may be having converging recesses, of an interposed otherwise formed. Each roller or gripping gripping-piece having an opening and located piece is loosely mounted on its arbor-pin G, within each recess, and a common support 5 5 whereby it may readily be forced inward to having PIOJGCUOHS adapted to loosely fit said bind upon the shaft A under the converging openings in the gripping-pieces and retain action of the sleeve B when rotated in the dithem approximately in their relative posirection of the arrow by means of the groundtions, yet allow a sufficient movement of each wheel I meshing with said pinion. Other piece to and from the shaft and thus secure I00 50 means maybe employed to rotate said sleeve, a gripplng action thereon.

or the shaft A may be the driving member 2. Ina clutch, the combination, withashaft and a sleeve loosely mounted thereon and having converging recesses, of a gripping-roller having a central opening and located Within each recess, and arbors for said rollers loosely fitting the openings therein and supported at fixed distances apart, whereby the said rollers are retained approximately in their relative positions, yet are allowed sufficient movement to and from the said shaft to effect a gripping engagement between the said sleeve and shaft.

3. In a clutch, the combination, with a shaft and a sleeve loosely mounted thereon and having converging recesses, of interposed gripping-pieces mounted in said recesses and each having an opening therein, a rotatable plate adjacent to said gripping-pieces, and pins inserted in said plate at fixed distances apart and loosely fitting the openings in said gripping-pieces and adapted to retain them in said plate in approximately their relative positions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OI-IN C. MILLER. Witnesses:

J. O. FALCONER, EDW'ARD O. MOQUIRK. 

